The Grass House, designed by bld.us, the firm of Jack Becker, AIA, and Andrew Linn, sits proudly and politely in the backyard of an 1892 Queen Anne Victorian, across the street from the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia, a historic D.C. neighborhood. The home serves as the workspace and library for the firm.

The project is the first on the East Coast to be completed using BamCore, a structurally solid timber bamboo. The home is insulated with sheep’s wool. Its dark earthen hues evoke wilderness; its tight enclosure and urban siting inspire community. (aia.org)